Suicide Quilt – Portsmouth Cathedral

Portsmouth Cathedral is hosting the ‘Speak Their Name’ Hampshire and Isle of Wight Suicide Memorial Quilt.

The quilt is a poignant and powerful artwork created to remember and honour those lost to suicide.

Portsmouth Cathedral is at the centre of remembering lives lost to suicide.

The exhibition, which opened on Sunday, will run until 27 September at Portsmouth Cathedral, offering a reflective space for the community to engage with this deeply moving project.

The ‘Speak Their Name’ Movement, which originated in Greater Manchester in 2020 and has since spread to Yorkshire and the Northeast, has inspired this regional project for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

In early 2024, local suicide bereavement and suicide prevention communities were invited to help make a memorial quilt.

Through workshops and collaborative efforts, individuals who have been touched by suicide were given the opportunity to craft a square in memory of their loved ones, ensuring their names are spoken, remembered, and cherished.

The Memorial Quilt serves as a visual reminder of the profound impact of suicide.

The project has been supported by funding from Survivors of Bereavement through Suicide.

The Dean of Portsmouth, The Very Revd Dr Anthony Cane, said:

“Portsmouth Cathedral is a place where we seek to provide solace, reflection, and support to all who enter. The ‘Speak Their Name’ Quilt is a powerful testament to the enduring love and memory of those lost to suicide, and we hope that this exhibition will offer comfort and connection to those who need it most.” 

As part of the exhibition, Portsmouth Cathedral will hold two reflective vigils on 20 September and 27 September, open to drop-in from 2pm to 3pm. These vigils will provide a quiet space to honour those remembered in the quilt, with attendees invited to light candles, reflect, and engage in private prayer. Clergy will be present for those seeking conversation or support and information is available for anyone affected by the themes raised by this exhibition.

The quilt will tour public spaces across the region after it leaves the Cathedral on 27 September.

Lara Kynvin, who co-organised the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Speak their Name project, said:

“We are so grateful for the support Portsmouth Cathedral has given to this project. 

The exhibition will be open daily during Cathedral opening hours until 27 September 2024.